Burial method and means



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ATTORNEYS Patented Apr. 13, 1937 Unirse sm'rss PATENT orrics BURIAL METHOD AND MEANS Merle A. Smith, Trenton, Mich. Application June 6, 193.6, Serial No. 83,939

4 Claims.

rIhis invention relates to the method of and means for interring and preventing decomposition of the human body after interment, and an object is to provide a simple method which may be conveniently and economically practiced and which will insure the preservation of the corpse over a long period of time, said method being such as to permit the usual practice of placing the body in the usual coffin and conducting the usual ,0 funeral services.

A further object is to provide suitable means for carrying out such method, said means including a vauit into which the coiiin may be inserted at the grave and the vault then sealed, said vault being provided with valvular means through which the air in the vault may be extracted to form a vacuum therein for preserving the corpse, and this valvular means then sealed to permanently hold the vacuum and preserve the body over a Very long period of time.

It is also an object to provide a grave vault having no exterior projections liable to become broken in time and permit entrance of air causing disintegration of the corpse, and to provide said vault with certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter more fully described, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a vault with an end portion thereof in cross section to disclose the construction and illustrate the burial method;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View of a vault with the end closure removed;

Fig. 4 is a perspective View of the closure;

: Fig. 5 a sectional detail of a valve chamber forming part of the end closure of the. vault and showing valve members in section therein, and a closure disk for the outer open end of said chamber, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of an end portion of the vault showing an end closure provided with a valve chamber and illustrating means connected to said valves for creating a vacuum in the vault and for indicating the amount of vacuum therein.

By placing the human body Within a chamber from which practically all of the air has been extracted to provide a complete vacuum and interring the body Within such chamber, the body will be prevented from disintegrating over a long period of time and in the present method such a Vacuum chamber is provided by means of a suitably constructed grave vault, this vault being preferably formed of sheet metal so that the walls thereof may be electrically Welded together along their meeting edges to form an air tight chamber.

This vault is indicated as a Whole by the numeral -l and its top, bottom and sides are formed from a single sheet with the abutting edges electrically welded and the closed end Wall 2 is electrically welded within the end ofthe body. 'I'he opposite end of the vault is formed by a separate end Wall 3 which may be electrically welded along its inner edge to a strip or abutment 6l Which is welded Within the end' of the vault body at said open end. The end wall is formed with a circular opening 5 over which a tube 6 is Welded at its end and extends inwardly of the .vault from the wall 3, its inner end being formed by a disk 1 welded within the end of the tube and carrying nipples 8 and 9 Within the tube, the nipple 8 for the attachment thereto of a flexible hose-like member Ill leading to a suitable air pump ll for pumping the air from the interior of the vault past a suitable valve I2 Within the nipple which is adapted to seat and close the passagev through the nipple whenever the operation of the pump is discontinued and the hose I0 disconnected from the nipple.

The nipple 9 is provided with a valve member I3 having a screwthreaded outer end for the attachment thereto of a tube or conduit I4 leading to' an indicator l5 for indicating the amount of Vacuum created within the closed vault, the stem of the valve vmember being screwthreaded Within the nipple 9 so that it may be `screwed into said nipple and force the valve i3 to its seat and close the passage through thenipple to prevent air from entering the vault when the pipe I4 is disconnected from the outer end of the stem of the Va'lVe After the separate end wall 3 has been inserted in the open end of the vault and Welded in place, the air is withdrawn from the vault by means of the pump l l to create the desired vacuum within the vault, and the pipes connected to the nipples 8 and 9 are then disconnected and the outer end of the tube 6 is permanently closed by means of a disk I6, the edges of which are electrically Welded within the opening 5, providing a flush outer surface With the valves enclosed within the tube 6 and protected against any possible leakage of air into the vault through the nipples 8 and 9.

By forming the vault l of sheet metal with the edges electrically welded together, an air tight chamber is provided when the end Wall or closure 3 has been electrically welded in place and as the tube 6 which carries the valve nipples 3 and 9 projects inwardly of the vault, this tube carrying the valves may be permanently closed air tight by electrically Welding a disk closure I6 over the outer end of the tube.

Rings or other suitable means I'I may be provided upon the upper wall of the vault for the attachment thereto of any suitable means, such as a derrick, for lifting the vault and lowering it into the grave..

With the present method, the body or corpse may be placed in the usual casket I8 and funeral services may be conducted in the usual manner after which the casket will be conveyed to the n grave where it will be inserted endwise into the vaultI through ythe open end thereof. Means will be provided at the grave for electrically Welding the end closure 3 into place within the open end of the vault after the casket has been inserted therein and then a suitable air pump will be connected to the nipple 8 within the inwardly projecting tube 6 carried by the closure 3 and the air will be withdrawn from the vault, to create a vacuum therein which will be indicated by the indicator I5. After the desired vacuum has` been` created, the tubular connections I0 and I4 will be disconnected-from the nipples and 9, the valves I2 and I3 preventing the entrance of air through these nipples into the interior of the vault. The outer end of the tube VIi is then permanently closed air tight by welding the disc I6 in place and thus any possible entrance of air past; the valves into the vault is obviated. With this method the whole process of creating the vacuum within the vault after the casket has been inserted therein and the welding of the joints to prevent any possible leakage and the breaking of the vacuumis performed at the grave, after which the vault is lowered into the grave. The retention of the desired vacuum within the vault is thus insured and the usual funeralservi'ces and employment of the usual casket for carrying the body is not interfered with.

Having thus fully described my invention what l. Burial means including a vault formed of `sheet metal and open at one end, a closure for ing an opening for the insertion of a casket, an end closure formed of sheet metal for closing said opening and welded in place therein to hermetically seal said vault, said end closure having an opening, a tubular member welded in place over said opening and having a closed inner end, a nipple carried bysaid closed end of said tubular member for the attachment thereto of means for withdrawing air from the interior of said vault, vvalvular means Within said nipple for preventing the entrance of air into the vault upon disconnection of said means from said nipple, and an air tight closure for the outer open end of said tubular member.

3. A burial vault formed of sheet metal and.

- close said end of saidl vault and peripherally welded in place against said' abutment toY permanently seal said vault, said end Wall beingl formed with an opening, a tubular member having a closed end and welded at its open end,

and preventing leakage of air into the vaultV through said valvular means.

4. A burial vault having'bottonLtop and side walls and an end wallformed of sheet metal ,electrically weldedtogether, a sheet metal endV Vwall for closing the openend of the vault electricallywelded at its edges to the edges of the walls of the vault and having an opening therein, a tubular member electrically welded to Ysaid Y end wall over said opening and extending inwardf Y 1y of the vault therefrom, said tubular memberk having an inner end closure, valvular means within said tubular member mounted upon said end closure thereof for the detachable attachment Vthereto of means for creating a vacuum Within the vault, and a sheet metal disk for closing the outer end of the tubular member when the vacuum creating means is disconnected from said valvular means, said disc closure being electrically welded over the open end of said tubular member.

MERLE' A. SMITH. 

